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March 20, 2017

Embrace the Crunch: 5 Asian Pear Ciders and Perrys

By: Gabrielle Brulotte

Although North America is better known for soft, flavorsome pears like the Bartlett, Bosc and Comice, pyrus pyrifolia, or Asian pear, is also flourishing. With a subtle sweetness and dominant crunch, plus nearly 5,000 acres of Asian pears are grown on the West Coast alone, it is time that this apple-like fruit to the front of the stage of fermentation and cider infusion. Leading the Asian pear movement, the following cider and perry bottlings are embracing the fruit and showing off just how much potential it has.

Chojuro Asian Pear Perry | Nashi Orchards
At Nashi Orchards, sustainably grown pears and apples work together often to create clean and complex perry and cider. The star of the show? The flagship Chojuro Asian Pear perry. Staying true to the subtle sweetness of the Asian pears that grow on their Vashon Island orchard in Washington, the renown perry will leave a taste of summer fruit and honey on your tongue.

Asian Pear Cider | Champlain Orchards Cidery
This orchard-based producer bottles a limited amount of its small-batch series of ciders, all based on its “farmhouse blend” of Vermont apples and, in this case, blended with estate-grown Asian pears. A perfect marriage, the two components create a delicate and crisp cider, one that proves apples and pears were really meant to be.

Asian Pear Hard Cider | Woodinville Cider Works
Taking advantage of the mass amounts of apples that come out of Washington each year, this clean cider makes the Asian pear the main attraction by allowing distinct flavors of the juicy fruit shine with each sip. With one of their goals being to make “food-friendly cider,” Woodinville Cider Works makes the Asian pear a perfect dinner guest and a go-to cider for week-day meals.

Virtue Asian Pear Cider | Virtue Cider
This Michigan located cidery is puts an Asian pear twist on its traditional, barrel-aged cider. Using old farmhouse practices to craft each of the ciders, Virtue Cider prioritizes the highest of quality in its finished product by exercising environmentally friendly production methods and using only freshly pressed fruit. Sweet and tangy, the Asian pear cider stays true to the what small Michigan farming is all about.

Raven’s Moon Asian Pear Cider | Blue Moon Winery
Coming out of British Columbia is a lightly carbonated and crisp Asian pear cider — an inspiration for a long list of different and unique ciders done by the craft maker. Focusing on the use of organic pears out of the Cawston region in the Similkameen Valley, Blue Moon uses pesticide-free fruit in the rest of their ciders to guarantee the best possible drinking experience. With big plans to expand, be on the lookout to grab your own bottle of the bright and fruity Asian pear cider in the Vancouver area.